Browning Plants-Help

[VAtanks]

Ascorbic acid-C6H8O6;
Chlorella is a blue-green algea- depending on what it ate before being dried and bottled provides trace minerals;
calcium pantothenate or pantothenic acid-C18H32CaN2O10- provides calcium, Nitrates, a source of carbon
Riboflavin-C17H20N4O6
Thiamine-C12H17N4OS
Choline-C6H12O6
Etc etc....they all provide different plant needs just in a different vehicle besides the traditional ferts how ever this product is suppose to be used in conjunction with others int the same product line. You may have to check with Seachem on this or correct me if Im wrong but its only sold to LFS and was intended to help Seachem compete with ADA and other high end companies....

[CatoeSc]

I'm not sure as to the why, but I do know its a line specifically for the independent/small pet/fish store. Is this a good starting point for me, though.

I appreciate all the feedback, but I'm less than 2 months into my 1st planted tank and never dreamed there would be so many options for ferts. I'm enjoying it, and really like the learning, but some of the information, I'm embarrassed to say, is still a bit over my head. Please be patient with me... I'm learnin'.

[CatoeSc]

Plants are looking better after just a couple of applications. Hoping I'm going in the right direction. Question, though... What is the best way to clean the substrate? I assume a lot of the ferts are going to settle into it to feed the plants, right? At the same time, I want to get rid of all the garbage. Should I just vacuum it as if it weren't planted?

Also, tips on addition ferts/nutrients extremely welcome.

[CatoeSc]

New pics of our tank. You can see some serious algae growth here... Any tips on getting did of it?





Notice the algae on the rocks an petrified wood.

[rileynapalm]

Originally Posted by CatoeSc

Plants are looking better after just a couple of applications. Hoping I'm going in the right direction. Question, though... What is the best way to clean the substrate? I assume a lot of the ferts are going to settle into it to feed the plants, right? At the same time, I want to get rid of all the garbage. Should I just vacuum it as if it weren't planted?

Also, tips on addition ferts/nutrients extremely welcome.

You don't want to vacuum as if it were not planted. lightly skim over the substrate, but don't push your syphon down in the gravel. Especially not near your plants. You'd be possibly damaging roots and taking away their nutrients.

Have you figured out your lighting routine yet? How long are they running?

[CatoeSc]

Originally Posted by rileynapalm

You don't want to vacuum as if it were not planted. lightly skim over the substrate, but don't push your syphon down in the gravel. Especially not near your plants. You'd be possibly damaging roots and taking away their nutrients.

Have you figured out your lighting routine yet? How long are they running?

Thanks for the advice on vacuuming

As for lights, they are running about 8.5 hours a day right now. Plants are growing, but some are riddled with algae. Checked phosphates today for 1st time to find they are at .5 and have gotten mixed reviews. Some sites say I should have more than that in a planted tank, others say I should have zero an recommend finding food that doesn't have any phosphate content at all. I'm at a loss on how to stop the algae.

[rileynapalm]

Originally Posted by CatoeSc

Thanks for the advice on vacuuming

As for lights, they are running about 8.5 hours a day right now. Plants are growing, but some are riddled with algae. Checked phosphates today for 1st time to find they are at .5 and have gotten mixed reviews. Some sites say I should have more than that in a planted tank, others say I should have zero an recommend finding food that doesn't have any phosphate content at all. I'm at a loss on how to stop the algae.

With a high-light style tank, your plants will be using up quite a bit, if not all of the available nutrients in a short period of time. This means algae can thrive! Having .5 Phosphates isn't too bad. You could certainly bump it up just a bit. But you could be lacking in Nitrates (NO3) too. Here's a good article that helped me out when I was first trying to understand fertilizers and the (roughly) ideal PPM's of your planted tank. See if it helps, and ask as many questions as you need to!

-Riley

[CatoeSc]

Originally Posted by rileynapalm

With a high-light style tank, your plants will be using up quite a bit, if not all of the available nutrients in a short period of time. This means algae can thrive! Having .5 Phosphates isn't too bad. You could certainly bump it up just a bit. But you could be lacking in Nitrates (NO3) too. Here's a good article that helped me out when I was first trying to understand fertilizers and the (roughly) ideal PPM's of your planted tank. See if it helps, and ask as many questions as you need to!

-Riley

Sorry- didnt see the link to your quote. Can you repost?

[rileynapalm]

Originally Posted by CatoeSc

Sorry- didnt see the link to your quote. Can you repost?

Whoops! My apologies! I forgot the link.
Let me try again:

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/...lanted-Tank/1/

There ya go!